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Who better than Chef Tony to show you how to make homemade pizza from scratch? And because we’re BBQGuys, you already know this pizza is going on the grill. The not-so-secret ingredient in this grilled pizza recipe is chicken rub, which is an integral part of the homemade dough. Our kamado pizza recipe makes a pair of 9-inch pies, perfect as a full meal for couples or an appetizer for larger gatherings. Prepare yourself: bubbly toppings and crispy crust await!
Ingredients
Ingredients for Dough
- ¼ cup warm water
- 1½ tsp active dry yeast
- 2 tsp chicken rub
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- ½ cup cold water
- ½ cup bread flour A
- ¾ tsp salt
- 1¼ cup bread flour B (plus extra for kneading)
Ingredients for Pizza Sauce
- 14½-oz diced, fire-roasted tomatoes (canned)
- ¼ cup fresh basil
- 2 tsp fresh oregano
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 2 tsp parmesan cheese, grated
- 2 tsp tomato paste (sun-dried or regular)
- 1 tsp granulated sugar
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- Coarse salt (to taste)
- Black pepper (to taste)
Ingredients for Toppings
- ¼ cup parmesan cheese, grated
- 5 oz pancetta, lightly cooked and diced
- ½ lb sliced fresh mozzarella
- ¼ lb goat cheese
- ½ lb sliced provolone cheese
Items You'll Need
Instructions
Instructions for Making the Dough
- In a large mixing bowl, combine warm water with active dry yeast. Whisk thoroughly and set aside for 8–10 minutes so the yeast can hydrate and activate.
- While waiting on the yeast, blend together the chicken rub with olive oil. Set aside, allowing the mixture to meld for 5–10 minutes at room temperature.
- When your yeast mixture looks bubbly and a little murky, whisk in the rub-infused olive oil, cool water, ½ cup of bread flour, and salt. Continue whisking until it resembles a smooth batter.
- Begin stirring in the 1¼ cup of bread flour, about one half-cup at a time so it can fully blend in and hydrate. Continue until all the flour has been added and the mixture begins to form a very rough dough.
- Turn the rough dough ball out onto a well-floured work surface, dust lightly with flour, and begin working and kneading the dough by hand. Repeatedly fold the dough in on itself until it’s pliable and springy, but no longer sticky. All in all, kneading the dough should take about 5–8 minutes.
- Once your dough has reached the proper consistency, form it into a very tight ball. Dust lightly with flour and cover with a towel, and set aside. Allow the dough to rise until it has doubled in size (45 minutes to 1 hour).
- Assemble your pizza sauce while you give the dough time to rise. In a mixing bowl, combine the fire-roasted tomatoes, basil, oregano, minced garlic, grated parmesan cheese, olive oil, granulated sugar, and sun-dried or regular tomato paste.
- Mix the ingredients together well until thoroughly incorporated, then season with salt and black pepper to taste. Stir again to combine, and test the sauce for adjustments. You may need to add salt and/or sugar at this point, according to your personal preference.
- After the dough has doubled in size, cut it into 2 equally sized dough balls. Press out each ball to remove any air bubbles.
- Fold each ball in on itself from several directions, lightly kneading 5 or 6 times. Roll both halves into tight balls, dust lightly with flour, and cover them with a towel until they rise to twice their size again (20–30 minutes).
- While waiting for the dough to rise, set up your kamado grill and preheat it to 550–600 degrees Fahrenheit. Though not necessary, placing a heat deflector plate in the grill will create an extra layer of diffusion alongside the pizza stone and help your pie bake more evenly. We used a heat deflector plus the BBQGuys Signature Series pizza stone, to great results. Just remember to let your stone preheat along with the grill.
- After your dough has risen again, dust each ball with flour before flattening it from the center and around in a circle (press outward to form a square or rectangle if you desire that shape for your pies). Aim for your dough to be about ¼–½ an inch thick.
- Start stretching each dough sheet from the center until the dough is about 9 or 10 inches in diameter. If you want a really thin pizza, now’s the time to break out your rolling pin.
- Once you’ve finished forming your dough, transfer it to a pizza peel that has been lightly dusted with cornmeal. Scoop a few spoonfuls of pizza sauce onto the center of the dough, then use the back of your spoon to work the sauce out from the center toward the edges. Make sure to leave a clean edge of about 1 inch, which will form your pizza’s crust.
- Evenly sprinkle half the grated parmesan cheese over the sauce, followed by a small handful of precooked pancetta. Add half the fresh mozzarella, then crumble the goat cheese over any empty spots on the pizza that look like they could use some cheesy love. Finish off your toppings with half the provolone cheese, and your pizzas are ready for the grill.
- Check your kamado’s temperature by tossing some cornmeal on the preheated pizza stone — you’re looking for the cornmeal to start roasting and putting off a moderate amount of smoke the second it touches the stone. If it immediately bursts into flames, you want to back down your temperature by about 50 degrees and repeat the cornmeal check again. If the cornmeal barely smolders with very little smoke, bump up the temperature by about 50 degrees and double-check.
- With your pizza stone’s temperature confirmed, transfer your pie from the pizza peel to the stone and close the lid.
- Depending on your setup and the thickness of your pizza, baking should take about 4–8 minutes. If you rely heavily on your foodie senses, the aroma coming from the grill will let you know when you should check on your pizza.
- When the cheese is bubbly and speckled with dark brown spots, you’ll know it’s time to move your pizza from the grill to a cutting board. Feel free to cut immediately, but we recommend holding out for another minute or two before chowing down. Hey, we’re just looking out for your taste buds and the roof of your mouth. Now, enjoy!
Instructions for Making/Topping Pizza
